As a young girl, I was teased about numerous things. It bothered me to the point of no return because people were always taunting me about things I had no control over. For starters, my peers constantly ridiculed me about my height. In fifth grade I stood approximately 5’5, so of course, I was one of the tallest people in my class and grade. I was aware of my height and therefore I always opted to stand at the back of the line where taller people stood and I played games with people that “looked” like me. Staying away from shorter people did not stop them from taunting me about my stature. They were cruel and didn’t care how uncomfortable it made me feel.

I started a new journey when I transferred schools at the beginning of my fourth grade year. I’m assuming the students weren’t aware of the fact that we all had different builds and being a different size was okay. They would call me a giraffe and ask questions like “When are you returning to the zoo?” This was a very awkward period for me in my life because I wanted to embrace the idea of being tall but was made to feel like I should have been embarrassed about it.

Entering middle school, I was glad for a fresh start. I  befriended girls that were taller than me and I was accepted by girls that were shorter than me. I found myself in a place of comfort because my peers were receptive to the differences of others. It was during my middle school years, where many grieve, that I was able to start focusing on all the favorable things about me and I was encouraged by a very strong support system.

Entering my teenage years, the very thing I was teased about was the very thing people would gawk at. My legs could walk on their own. Today, I am thankful for my mom with the good genes and for those that helped in building my confidence. It took a while, but I’ve learned that God has a purpose and a plan for every attribute he has given me, even the physical ones like my long legs.